Apparatus for lowering mail bags and other loads from aircraft



Dec'. 1, 1931. H. E. s. HOLT 1,834,840

APPARATUS FOR. LOWERING MAIL BAGS AND OTHER LOADS FROM AIRCRAFT FiledMai ch 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1931. H. E s. HOLT 13,834,840

APPARATUS FOR LQWERING MAIL BAGS AND OTHER LOQDS FROM AIRCRAFT FiledMarch 15, 1930 zsneets-snet; 2

aw/M I 20 craft instead of on the parachute controlled Such as a crankhandle 4 and a ri tl n' brake Patented 'Dec, 1, 1931 it UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE,

HAROLD EDWARD BHERWIFN HOLT, OF UJNDON, ENGLAND APPARATUS FOR LOW'ERDN'GMAIL BAGS AND OTHER LOADS PRO AIRCRAFT Application filed larch 13, 1980,Serial No. 485,550, and in Great Britain March 23, 19 88.

This invention relates to apparatus for an aircraft fuselage showing theapparatus lowering mail bags and other loads from according to theinvention in position thereair-craft in which the rate ofdescent of theon, load is controlled by main and pilot para- Fig. 2 is a verticallonfgitudinal section, I

chutes, means being provided under the condrawn to a larger scale, 0 aportion of the trol of a pilot'weight lowered from a rotary apparatusdisposed in the load to be lowered, drum or reel whereby the mainparachute can part of the release gear arranged on the airbe keptinoperative until it reaches approxicraft being shown partly inelevation and,

- mately a given distance from the ground p rtly n i 1, which isdetermined by the length of a rope, 1E. is a view, on a larger scale, ofthe line or cable formed with separate insulated "Y lg t and its cupllng means, partly in secelectric conductors to which the pilot weighttlOIl, d is attached, the pilot weight itself being pro-' F g 4 1Sgmentary Side elevation of vided with circuit closing means adapted toP9 of the l to be d, Sh wing in a 18 be operated b im t ith th ground ordiagrammatic manner the electrical circuit with an bj t on th und, emloyed for releasing the main parachute.

According to the present invention the ro-. shown, In the um carrying'tary drum carrying the line with its attached the 11119-2 with Itsattached Pilot Weigh-t is pilot weight is mounted or carried on the air-Provided with. Suitable controllin means,

load loweringapparatus and means are proand'is mounted on a SuitableSupporting vided for electrically and mechanically coubra?ket 6t,h9.airc mft framing 7 1119 ppng the line to the launching a paratuszfi g PQ fP gl f the cockpit 8 a1 ten the lowering of the pilot weightand a W g f e 15 y run out It can be ggg g ag g g: y? tilt";catfish-3,;fiaitiit i *8 y is means e wei an ine e e me can be fully runout before the lad lowering controumg, clrclllt to be herelnaftel more gm ea siz s-23:3 ti rs? The an es are a e Owerm a 30 i g g g ig gg z 33ratus, indicated generally by 10, and he d u- 80 I bered with thedrumand its adjuncts can be pclling of said cable With the line 2 is adapt.made much lighter than heretofore, the rate to be eftfected by means ofi pf unwinding of the line is expedited and a f fig fi and the 35 ongerline or cable can be employed without 13 f 8; t us 10 Wlth Its dincreasing the s ze of the load lowering apmm aunc mg cradle or beam 145 paratus, hMeans are also provided for reggfig igg fi a t Y rising temain parachute and bringing it launched from 5 h y??? f 1s g g i gm flgg 9f the main parachut is :6l3 &l l18 l ln ;Ol gi;1 l3 l$ e oweig weneaircratis 4o ing low, as during oggy weather [for dition in itscontainer 15 in the usual manample. The pilot Wei ht itself is S0 C0 nerby means of flaps held closed by a with Structed with two Set t t tdrawable pin 16 and a breaking cord 17 and the c1 08in o th O q ac la atsaid parachute is not withdrawn or allowed 4 p In co ditilin f i 13 ensre under to operate until the pilot weight 3 reaches the one Way inwhich the invention may be ground. At the time of launching the ap- 9aratus however th eat 13 by of aid of a iontziai iassist: ample U .theaccompanying drawings, cradle or beam 14 on the aircraft and bewhereincomes operative this ilot irachute be' 0 0 1 50 Fig, 1 IS a sideelevation of a portion of connected by a line 26 to the frame of t ldgload lowering leasable coup ing and then by lines 21 and 22 with theretaining means 16, 17 for-the main parachute and the main parachuteitself, respectively. The releasable coupling referred to, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 2, consists of a pair of opposed 'aws 23 and 24, the jaw.23 being fixed and 't e ja 24 formed on a lever 25 pivoted at 26 on theframe of the load lowering apparatus 10, jaws is retained an' eye orloop. on-the lines or cables 21 and 22 to which the line or cable 20from the pilot parachute is connected.

l of its housing 15 for it to become operative.

The lever 25 is held in the couplin position, against the action of itsbeam armfia lever 27 which is pivoted at 28 in the frame and urged by aspring 29 to bring a shoulder 30 thereon beneath the end of the saidbeam arm of the lever 25. If the coupling be released'by movement of thejaw 24 the pull of the pilot parachute acting through the line or cable20 (Fig. 1) will be transferred to -the lines or cables 21 and 22 thuswithdrawing the retaining pin 16, after breaking the cord 17, andpulling the main parachute our One way of releasing the coupling asaforesaid, for use when the load lowering apparatus has been launchedfrom a high altitude, is to move the shoulder 30 of the catch lever 27out of engagement with the beam arm of the coupling lever 25, which itholds, by

- means of the impact of small projectiles 31 (Fig. 2) driven againstthe under surface of an extension 32 on said catch lever 27 by theelectric ignition of explosive charges contained in cartridges 33carried in a small tube 34 arranged beneath thesaid extension.

In connection with the launching of the parachute-controlled loadlowering appa- -ratus two hand levers 35 and 36 are provided (seeFig. 1) on the side of the aircraft fuselage 7 adjacent the cockpit 8.

The lever 35 controls through a Bowden wire connection 37 the usualrelease device 38 for the actual launching of the apparatus, whereas thelever 36'is employed for effectmg, through a similar connection 39, thehand? release of the main parachute when launching the load loweringapparatus from low altitudes. I

For this latter-purpose, referring'to Fig. 2, one end of a cord 40 ofsuitable length is connected through a slip coupling 41,42 with theextension 32 on the catch lever 27 the other end of said cord 40 beingprovided with a head or enlargement 43- by which it can either betemporarily held by a spring catch 44 in a tube 45 secured on thelaunching cradle 14 or positively'retained in the tube by a bolt 46adapted to be projected into the bore of the tube against the action ofa spring 47 by the operation of a hand lever 36 hereinbefore mentioned.I

A further head or enlargement 48 secured apparatus 10 through a re-'between which engagmg y a catch on a branch cord 49 connected to thecord 40 v is ada ted to be received in a tube 50 arrange in the frame10, within which tube the slip coupling 41, 42 is also received. Thishead 48 is retained in the tube 50 by a spring catch 51 whichis-stronger than the catch 44 arranged on the tube 45 and the slack ofthe cord 40 is disposed in a pocket 52 in the it will be seen thatrelease of the load from the cradle 14 by the operation of lever 35 willcause the head 48 to be snapped past the spring catch 51 in the tube 50and that, after the slack of the cork 40 has been taken up by the fallof the load, the coupling 41, 42 will also be snapped past the saidcatch 51,-operating the catch lever 27 to release the coupling 23, 24during its movement. The main parachute is thus pulled out by the pilotparachute as the load lowering apparatus falls away from the air craft.The pilot weight not beingrequired to operate in such cases is notcoupled to the load: lowering apparatus. It will be understood thatthe.mem-' bers 41 and 42 of the slip coupling will disengage immediatelythey ;are withdrawn from the tube 50.

Furthermore, as a safeguard for" ensuring that the coupling jaws remainopen, there is provided a pawl 55 pivoted in the frame 10,

urged towards the catch lever 27 by a spring 56, the pawl being at asuitable position for ensuring that, when the catch lever is displacedto the release position, the pawl .55 will engage a nose 57 on the saidlever to hold same in thejsaid position.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the pilot weight 3 is equipped withelectric circuit closing mechanism and comprises a central weight 58enclosed in'an co-operating with.

resilient displaceable members 59 and deformable members 60 mounted onbut spaced from the wei ht 58 and from each other. The inner mem ers 59consist of contact strips normally spaced radially from the weight 58and formed of resilient metal whilst the outer members consist ofcontact strips of soft metal normally spaced radially from the in':

ner strips '59 and adapted to be deformed easily on'impact with theground or other object, the resiliency of the inner contact strips 59maintaining the contact made by the deformationof the outer strips 60against them. v

The two sets of contact strips 59, 60 are insulated from each other, asby insulating bushes 66, and the outer strips 60 are electricallyconnected, as at 61, to an electric contending through the of p thecartridges ductor .62 extending through the cable 2 to the plug 63 inthe coupling member 11, whilst the inner cont-act strips 59 areelectrically connected to a similar conductor 65, also excable 2, andconnected with the socket 64 in said coupling member 11.

The coupling member 11 is adapted to be engaged with the coupling member12 with its p u 63 and socket 64 co-operating with the soc et 67 andplug 68 of the latter, a-me-. chanica-l coupling being also provided andcomprising, or example, a sprmg tongue 69 on the coupling member 12adapted to. engage by its aperture 70 over a pin 71 on the couplingmember 11.

7 From the plug 68 and socket 67 of the cou-' pling member 12 thereextend two electric conductors 72 and 73' respectively, passing throu hthe cable 9 and connecting to the remaindbr of the electrical circuitwithin the load lowering apparatus as indicated dia grammatically in ig.4.

The lead 73 is connected, to one terminal of an electric accumulator 74or other source of electric current, in the parachute apparatus, and thelead 72 is connected to a terminal 7 5 on an insulating base 76 securedin the frame 10 of the apparatus (see Fig. 2).

From said terminal a wire 77 leads to each 33 and the return leads 78from said cartridges are connected to a common terminal 79 on the base76 from which a connection 80 leads to one spring contact 81 of a 'ack82 (Fig. 4) the other spring contact which is connected to the otherterminal of the accumulator 74 by a conductor 84.

During' the time the load lowering apparatus 10 is supported from thecradle 14, a

' plug 85 of insulating material is disposed be which is tween thesprings 81 and 83 of the jack 82, secured on the said apparatus 10, thisplug being connected by a cord 86 to the cradle 14 so that the fallingof the load away of the cartridges 33 an tected at'88 where it passesthrough an e e from said cradle on launching will withdraw the plug 85and allow thes ring contacts 81 and 83 to press together. s will beunder stood this precludes an premature ignition d renders the appara-Fig. 2, the cable 9 is tus more reliable.

As will be seen from protected from abrasion at the point where itenters the frame 10 by a padding or binding 87 and, as shown in Fig. 1,it is similarly pro- 89 secured on the aircraft for gulding t e cables 2and 9; I

The operation of fore described will be from the following Whenlaunching the load lowering apparatus from a high altitude the weight 3is allowed to fall to unwind the cable 2 from the apparatushereinbereadily understood the drum 1, which may in some cases be heldin the hands during this operation. The coupling member 11 is disenga edfrom the drum and engaged with the coup ing member 12 on the cable 9,which cable has previously been disengaged from a spring clip 90(Fig. 1) on' the side of the aircraft fuselage 7 and held by a cord (notshown) secured to a loop 91 attached to the cable, this cord being paidout slowly, when the coupling of the members 11, 12 has been eifected,to allow the weight to draw thecable 9 out through the eye 89, whereuponthe lever 35 is actuated to release the load 13 from the cradle 14 inthe usual manner.

As the spring catch 51 is stronger than the spring'catch 44 (Fig. 2) andthe bolt 46 is moperative, the fall of the load 13 causes the head 43 onthe cord 40 to snap out of the tube 45. After a short distance has beentraversed by the load the jack plug 85 is first withdrawn vertical andhaving attached to its lower end a length of cable Weight 3.

Owing to the fact that the pilot parachute is not sufficiently largetoretard the fall of the load etc. to any appreciable extent, the wholeapparatus descends rapidly towards the ground until the weight 3 strikesthe latter or an object thereon, such as a tree for example. I

Iminediatel this takes place the electric (9, 2) supporting the circuitthrong the cartrid es 33 and accumulater 74 is completed at t e contacts59, 60 whereupon the cartridges are exploded to impel the projectiles 31against the extenslon 32 of the catchlever 27 which is thereby displacedagainst the actionof the spring 29 to release the lever 25 and isretained 1n the release position by the pawl 55.

r The opening of the jaws 23,24 releases'the on the lines 21, 22 whichare thereupon p'ul ed upwardly by the pilot parachute 18 to break thecord 17 and withdraw the pm 16 and to withdraw the main parachute fromvits container 15 respectively.

effected under the restraint of the main parachute which brings itgently. to earth. I

Suppose now that a load is to be launched from a low altitude.

The further descent of the load 13 is then In this case the weight 3 andthe electrical release of the main parachute are not required, so firstthe hand lever 36' is 0 rated t? project the bolt 46 into the bore oft etube and atabout the same time the pilot para-'- ,chute 18, which is nowopen, draws the main parachute out of its container as alreadydescribed. Here, it will be noted, the load descends for the major andlatter portion of its fall under the restraint of the main parachute.The load lowering apparatus indicated at 10 (Fig. 1) is of smallthickness and is adaptfor the accommodation of the main para chute initscontainer 15. As will be under-v ed tobe' disposed between two mail bags13 or other packages and leave a space beneath it at the forward endbetween the packages stood, to prevent undue strain on the cable 2,

- 9, a small braking parachute may be attached to the weight 3 to retardthe forward motion thereof. c

- Various modifications may obviously be made in the constructionand'detailspt the apparatus described without departing from the scopeof the appended claims.

1. A paratus for lowering mail bags and other oads from aircraft,comprising a cradle suspended beneath the aircraft and releasablysupporting the load to be lowered, a pilot parachute adapted to becomeoperative upon the release of the load from the cradle, said'pllotparachute having a connec-- tion to. a main arachute housed in acontrainer in the said load butbeing prevented from acting to withdrawthe said main parachute from its container by coupling means engagedwith said connection and mounted in load-lowering apparatus built intothe load, and means in said load-lowering appa- 1 ratusfor disengagingsaid couplin vmeans after the partial descent of the load in order toallow the pilot parachute to withdraw the 1 main parachute .from itscontainer, said main .parac ute then becoming operative in retarding thefurther descent of the load.

2. Ap aratus according to claim 1, including a pilbt weight attached toone end of a cable comprising two insulated conductorsconnectcd'respectively to separate'sets of contactsjin the said weight,said cable'being wound upon a drum secured on the aircraft and beingadapted callyand electrically connecting the other end of the unwoundcable to electrically operated means for disengaging the couplin meansin the load-lowering apparatus, an

means actuated from the aircraft for re! leasing the load, so that afterthe load has to be unwound prior to the release of the load, means formechanireached a given distance from the ground, I

determined by the length of the cable aforesaid, the contacts in theweight are brought together to complete an electric circuit throu h theelectrically operated means, where y the main parachute is released.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, forming the coupling means as apair of oposed jaws, one jaw being fixed and the other aw bein formed ona pivoted lever, and

holding t e coupling in the engaged position by means of a catch leverengagm the said pivotedlever, means being rovidef for automaticallydisengaging sa1 catch lever from the pivoted lever in order to allow thelatter to move to the disengaged osition when the main parachute is tobe re eased.-

4. Apparatusother loads from aircraft comprising .a launching cradlesuspended beneath the aircraft, a load supported from said cradle, a

load-lowering apparatus embodied in the load and including a mainparachute, a pilot parachute and 'a container for said main parachute, acontainer for the pilot parachute secured on the launching cradle, aconnection from the said pilot parachute to the main parachute,relcasable coupling means in the load-lowering apparatus engaging saidconnection and preventing same from acting to withdrawthemain parachutefrom its container, means controlled from the aircraft for releasing theload from the launching cradle, upon the operation of which means theload fallsrfrom the cradle and pulls the pilot parachute from itscontainer to allow same to become operative, and means adapted tooperate after. the load has fallen for somedistance to releasethecoupling means 1n the load-lowering apparatus in order to allow thepilot parachute to withdraw themain arachute from its container,whereupon the said main parachute becomes operatlsivcl in retarding thefurther descent of the 5. Apparatus'of the character described,including a load suspended from an aircraft, means for releasing saidload,'a pilot parachute and a main parachute adapted to control the rateof descent ofv the load, coupling means forkeepingcthe main parachuteincp-. erative until the load reaches ajgiven dis:

for lowering mail bags and tance from the groun'dfelectrically operatedmeans for releasing said conpling means, an

electric circuitpomprising said' electrically operated means, a source.of current, electric conductors extending through a cable to":

which a pilot weight is attached, and circuit closing ineans'in saidpilot weight, a rotary drum mounted on the aircraft and having the saidcable wound thereon, means for unwinding said cable and means forelectrically and mechanically coupling the unwound cable to theelectrically operated means so thatwhen the pilot weight strikes theground the electric circuit through the electrically operated means iscompleted and said means cause the release of the coupling means toallow the main parachute to become operative in retarding the furtherdescent of the load.

In testimony whereof he has afiixed his signature.

HAROLD EDWARD Sill-IRWIN HOLT.

